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Socio-economic evolution and Darwinism in Thorstein Veblen: a critical appraisal

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  • George Liagouras

Abstract

The paper questions the idea that a biology-based perspective, and more specifically Darwinian population thinking, constitutes a real alternative for the study of the evolution of social systems. This is done through a critical appraisal of the work of Thorstein Veblen. Even though Veblen's account of the evolution of humankind makes the notion of natural selection practically redundant, his remaining attachment to Darwinism created two other serious tensions for him. First, his attachment to the Darwinian scheme of 'descent with modification' kept him from devising a systematic theory of the different socio-economic systems he studied. This shortcoming is more evident in his analysis of capitalism, which not only lacks an elaborated theory but also contradicts his initial evolutionary programme. Second, by postulating that human history is a question of cultural change, Veblen was tempted to conflate social structures, institutions and habits of thought. Copyright The Author 2009. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Cambridge Political Economy Society. All rights reserved., Oxford University Press.

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  • George Liagouras, 2009. "Socio-economic evolution and Darwinism in Thorstein Veblen: a critical appraisal," Cambridge Journal of Economics, Cambridge Political Economy Society, vol. 33(6), pages 1047-1064, November.
  • Handle: RePEc:oup:cambje:v:33:y:2009:i:6:p:1047-1064
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1093/cje/ben061
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    Cited by:

    1. Dieter Bögenhold & Panayotis G. Michaelides & Theofanis Papageorgiou, 2021. "Schumpeter, Veblen, and Bourdieu on Institutions and the Formation of Habits," Springer Books, in: Neglected Links in Economics and Society, chapter 0, pages 233-259, Springer.
    2. Theofanis Papageorgiou & Ioannis Katselidis & Panayotis G. Michaelides, 2013. "Schumpeter, Commons, and Veblen on Institutions," American Journal of Economics and Sociology, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 72(5), pages 1232-1254, November.
    3. George Liagouras, 2013. "Lost in Translation: Why Generalized Darwinism is a Misleading Strategy for Studying Socioeconomic Evolution," American Journal of Economics and Sociology, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 72(5), pages 1255-1286, November.

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